Chapter Six

Trust

Disclaimer: Standard Disclaimer applies. (In other words I have no rights to SM or the SS in any way, shape, or form.) However this story line is mine.

Warning: Profane language, violence, sexual content and blood, gore, vampires, werewolves and all the good stuff. M-rated.

Double Warning: Bad writing involved
Darien tried to sleep but his thoughts kept going to Serena. Serena laughing as she talked to Molly. Serena admitting for the first time that she was the Princess of New Tokyo, even if it had been playfully. The look on her face as she listened to Molly explain to her about how she had been changed.

They hadn't realized that they forgot to close the door when they went back to Serena's room. Darien had heard them talking excitedly as he had made his way to his own room. But in passing their door, he had heard Serena ask Molly how it had happened, how she had been turned. Darien, curious, had stopped in the doorway, to listen. He felt if they were to look at the door and know he was there, they wouldn't have gotten mad at him for listening in.

After Molly had gone to the cellar, Darien had spontaneously kissed Serena's forehead. He hadn't even realized that he was doing it until his lips touched her skin. It surprised him about as much as it had surprised her. But he had been happy to see her smiling and laughing with Molly, which he hadn't seen her do too much of lately. He had honestly begun to worry about her.

If Molly could make Serena laugh and smile like that more often, he would personally beg Molly to live at the palace. But he would have to ask her to change her wardrobe. Her clothing had been more revealing than the items that Serena, Lita, and Raye had worn. Molly had been wearing a skimpy blue halter-top and an even skimpier black shimmering see-thru skirt. He had personally tried very hard not to stare at her, so he didn't even know if she had been wearing something under the skirt.

Finally, he threw his legs over the side of the bed and sat up, forcing his mind to focus on Nikolai. Nikolai had to have known more than he had told them. Darien never questioned his gut instinct and it was saying that Nikolai was hiding something. Maybe it didn't have anything to do with the attack on Serena's friend, but Darien couldn't think of anything else he would try to hide.

There was a tap on his door, and he jumped. He yawned, threw his robe on and opened the door. Raye stood outside his room in her robe, looking exhausted. She walked into his room without an invite, and he watched her quietly, wondering why she was still awake.

"Darien, I have a really bad feeling about this." She said as she started pacing at the foot of his bed. Darien sighed and closed the door.

"About what?"

"About Molly being here. I mean, I know it's Serena's idea to have her stay here during the day so she wouldn't have to transport back and forth from the Dance Hall, but there is something about it. I can't really explain it." She raked a hand through her already tousled hair. "It isn't because she's a vampire, either. Well, actually that part bothers me personally. But it's something. I can't-." She growled and dropped on the bed. She didn't look at Darien as she continued. "There's something wrong with all of this. And I think it's really bad." She shook her head, stood up, and began pacing again.

"Whoa." Darien said, putting his hands up, as if he was surrendering. "Ok, first calm down. You aren't making very much sense. Second, I'm not perfectly comfortable with Molly here either, and it is because she's a vampire. But at the moment, she seems to be doing Serena some good, so I have no objections to her staying here. Third, there is something bad going on. We have a load of murders on our hands, all in the similar fashion as Lily's and all pointing to werewolves. None of us have ever dealt with them before. We hadn't dealt with vampires either, but we muddled through."

Raye shook her head. "No!" She snapped. "I had a vision. And Molly isn't here just for Serena or to help us with werewolves. There is something else that she's here for." She sat down again. "I don't know, Darien. I can't trust her. I know she's still Serena's friend, but there is something wrong with her being here."

"Raye, I respect your visions, but all we can do is keep an eye on Molly. We can't really do anything else at this time." He said feeling slightly frustrated at the way Raye was acting. She sighed and stood up, this time more slowly, as if she had calmed herself a little. She smiled at Darien, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.

"Ok. That's fine. We'll watch her and hope that we don't end up paying for it." She stormed from his room before he could respond. He poked his head into the hall, watching her, but a slight movement caught his attention.

Serena stood in the hall staring at him. Her mouth was hanging open and her eyes were wide. Raye stormed past her and apparently said something because Serena's face fell. When she looked up again, her face was resolute. She turned and ran back up the hall toward her room.

Darien sighed, tied his robe, and started after her.

Serena had watched Raye come from Darien's room, and she hadn't looked happy about what happened inside. As she had walked past Serena, she whispered, "I'm sorry." She hadn't waited around to find out what had happened, it was pretty obvious. She ran for her room.

Closing the door, she leaned against it and fought to catch her breath. Her eyes itched and stung with unshed tears. Darien had left her. That must have been why he had been keeping his distance from her after she had gotten out of the hospital two months earlier. But why did he kiss my forehead earlier if he's with Raye, she asked herself silently. She shook her head confused.

There was a quiet tap on her door and, feeling like she was living in a soap opera, opened it to face Darien. He opened his mouth, then closed it, and opened it again, finally saying, "It's not what you think."

"Yeah, I believe you, Darien." She lied, starting to close the door.

"Dammit, Serena!" He snapped, pushing the door open. Serena stumbled, slightly as Darien caught her off guard. He walked into her room and closed the door behind him. "Why do you have to think the worst of everything?" He growled, glaring at her. "You assumed something was going on between Raye and me when you took off to fight Korin by yourself."

Serena stared at him. "I wasn't by myself."

"Oh, yes. You were with good ole' Nikolai."

"Now look who is assuming!" Serena snapped.

"DAMMIT!" Darien roared. Serena cringed and backed up. "Why does it feel like whenever we are around each other, there is a fire just waiting to be ignited!" Serena just stared at him. "I don't want Raye. I have never wanted her. Don't you get it?"

"You were dating her when we fought Queen Beryl." Serena said, feeling herself pale. She had assumed that he was with Raye, because of what Raye had said. He was right, but then why did Raye say she was sorry. She shook her head. "It doesn't matter, Darien. Just leave me alone." She turned and started for the bathroom, intending to lock herself into it until she was certain Darien had left. But before she had gotten a few steps, he had grabbed her wrist, pulled her against him and captured her mouth with his.

Serena froze, stunned. His mouth was insistent, crushing hard against her lips until she thought they would bruise. But it felt good.

Something inside Serena seemed to wake up and react to his demands. She felt her arms move until she had wrapped them around his neck, pulling him tighter against her. His lips were like fire, searing her skin where he kissed her. She opened herself to him and felt him deepen the kiss. Slowly, she felt the muscles under his robe relax and his kiss became less demanding, and the fire inside of her intensified.

Finally, Darien pulled away, and they stood holding each other, breathless. He cupped her chin and forced her to look at him. "I want you, Serena. I have always wanted you." He whispered, his lips brushing hers lightly, sending chills down her spine. She couldn't move, couldn't think, with him so close. Everything inside of her wanted to be with him. In more ways than just going out and holding hands. She wanted to wake up next to him in the morning, to share his name, to be his princess.

She froze. Being with him meant that she would have to be the Princess of New Tokyo. She wasn't sure if she wanted to be the Princess, or the Queen of the Earth in the future. If she married him, she would be pushed into the job, and go through everything she had gone through when she had finally fled the responsibility. She wasn't ready to deal with that. She couldn't handle it.

She stepped back, and feeling tears fill her eyes, she whispered, "I can't."

AN: Feel free to read and review. Leave comments, questions, thoughts, ideas, etc if you wish. Also leave your emails so that if you do have a question, I can respond to it. I will not respond to flamers. All I ask, if you do have something to say against my writing, is that you word it politely.

Thanks to sailorlunakitty, kamalchemy, serenityzkiss, Princess Consuela Bananahammock, ffmooniegirl, Shrouded Mist, Megan Consoer.

To Kamalchemy: cant tell you, but it looks that way huh? Too bad even I dont know if they will... sighs We shall see. Grin